3 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Eyeglasses Online

You might have been shocked by the prices quoted by your optometrist, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay it. As with many other things, you could find a much better deal online. However, as with many other items sold online, it is possible to make mistakes. This is especially true when you’re buying something as personal and fragile as eyewear. Here are three mistakes to avoid when buying eyeglasses online.

You need a valid eyeglasses prescription to order eyeglasses online. Ideally, the prescription is less than a year old. Don’t make the mistake of ordering eyeglasses online from an old prescription when you really need a slightly different prescription. Know that your eye doctor is legally required to give you a copy of your prescription after they’ve done an eye exam. This allows you to get your new glasses anywhere.

Conversely, you don’t want to make the mistake of ordering your glasses based on a quick online eye exam. It isn’t as good as that done by a real eye doctor. Know that an eye exam may not cost you much money and may even be covered by your insurance.

Some people may think that all glasses frames are the same. In reality, the bridge width and temple arm length vary between pairs of glasses. Don’t buy glasses that look great but will be constantly falling off. You also need to choose glasses that have the right pupillary distance.

The pupillary distance is the distance between the pupils of your eyes. The lenses in the glasses must be centered on your pupils, or your corrected vision may not be as good as you expected. Note that you may have to ask the eye doctor to put the pupillary distance on the prescription so that you can order glasses that truly fit you.

Another factor to consider is quality. You don’t want to buy a cheap pair of glasses where the frame will break if they fall off your dresser. However, you may not get a product that has dramatically higher quality despite the high cost. You need to find the right balance between cost and quality, though there are products that are of exceptional quality for their price. Nike eyeglasses for instance are known for being durable, attractive and a good fit without costing a fortune.

Industry studies found that up to a quarter of eyeglasses sold online don’t meet industry standards for safety. For example, the lenses may shatter if you’re hit in the face by a door. That could injure your eyes, though we expect the glasses to protect them. One solution is to buy eyeglasses lenses made from trivex or polycarbonate instead of glass. Another solution is choosing an online retailer known for quality products that don’t break when dropped or hit. Be willing to pay a little more for high impact resistance, especially if you’re in a high risk environment.

While frames can be found incredibly cheap online, you don’t want to make a mistake with such a personal purchase. Avoid making the mistakes we’ve pointed out, and you’ll probably be happy with your purchase.